DON’T FEEL I’VE WORKED FOR ONE DAY IN MY LIFE: SHILPA RAO
Ahead of her multi-city concert, the singer gets candid about her love for the process of making music
Shilpa Rao has a busy month ahead as she gears up to perform in multiple cities across India this December. However, the singer shares that she enjoys making music and performing so much that it feels like she has never worked for a day in her life. “My love for the process of recording a song is the reason why I became a singer. So I don’t think of it as work. I don’t feel I have worked one day in my life. The more I have gone back into the studio, the better I felt about my work,” the singer tells us. Rao explains that every song has a journey and how long it will take to be complete can’t be predicted. “Each song takes its due course, for which one needs to have an open mind and enjoy this process. I’m someone who has gone back to the studio to re-record a song for months [together] as we (the team) felt we could make it better. I re-recorded the title track of Kalank (2019) for three months and we constantly worked on it during this period. On Bulleya (Ae Dil Hai Mushkil; 2016), we worked for a year and a half. Sometimes, the lyrics were changed, other times the format was changed. Every attempt helped me sing better than the last time,” shares the singer, who has lent her voice to several hits such as Khuda Jaane (Bachna Ae Haseeno; 2008), Ishq Shava (Jab Tak Hai Jaan; 2012) and Ghungroo (War; 2019)
Though she has tasted success with most of her songs, there have also been tracks that weren’t well-received. Asked if the criticism that comes with failures, especially on social media, affected her, Rao maintains a positive outlook and says, “Criticism is as important as the praise you get. Being surrounded by the right critics, who give you a very objective perspective, is essential for your growth.”